Cookbook #4: Crock-Pot Best Loved Slow-Cooker Recipes

I love using slow cookers during the winter. They’re helpful when you have a busy lifestyle; I’ll often prepare something in one when I have to review a play later that night or something.

That said, I haven’t spent that much time with my only slow cooker-themed cookbook. I think it was a gift from my old roommates, Kari and Vanessa. I decided to make two recipes, both involving barley, because I’ve been trying to cook more with grains this year.

Adaptations: Besides using buffalo instead of ground beef for the stroganoff, I pretty much stuck to the recipes here.

What I learned: Both barley and dried mushrooms are natural fits for the slow cooker.

Recipe results: I wasn’t wowed by the stew (there was a slight sweetness, probably from the carrots or the veggie broth, that tasted slightly off to me), but John was a big fan. I liked the stroganoff dish a lot – the barley was filling and healthy, stretching out the meat in the recipe.

Cookbook verdict: A lot of these recipes were hit and miss, using a lot of processed ingredients like condensed soup, or just a bit more homestyle than my taste. But there still were some interesting options in there. I’m definitely looking forward to making a Thai Pumpkin Soup at some point from it.